The present invention relates to veneer systems for finishing the exterior appearance of walls. In particular, the present invention relates to concrete and foam layered veneer panels which can be inexpensively and easily installed to form a wall facade which resembles a wall made from a more expensive and more difficult to install material, such as stone, brick or wood.
Many types of materials are used to form the exterior finish of buildings. Many factors go into choosing the exterior finish for each building, including appearance, cost, ease of installation, durability and insulating capacity. Stone, brick and wood finishes are popular due to their aesthetic appearance and durability. In particular, cut stone, natural stone, brick, log siding, shingle siding, and lap siding are examples of systems used as exterior finishes for building walls.
Stone walls are particularly pleasing because of the unique appearance of each stone and the random pattern the stones create. Stone is also extremely durable and able to withstand thermal and solar degradation. However, building such a wall using either natural or cut stones is not always a practical option. Constructing a wall made of stone is often very expensive, labor intensive, and requires highly skilled laborers. In addition, specialized equipment and tools may be required. Similar advantages and drawbacks occur with log homes, brick homes, shingle siding and lap siding.
A variety of simulated texture wall products have been developed in an attempt to make walls resemble ones made of a more desirable finish, but are less expensive and more easily installed.
One type of a simulated wall is made using poured concrete. In these “pour in place” walls, concrete is poured into a form containing liners that have a reverse impression of a random pattern of stone or brick. After the concrete material hardens, the forms and form liners are removed to reveal a simulated stone wall.
Pour in place applications have problems associated with making the wall look natural. When erected, the poured walls repeat themselves creating a noticeable pattern on the wall as a whole. In addition, form liners create a seam where the forms come together that is visible in the finished product. Poured in place walls are also extremely heavy, are not useable in a wide variety of applications, and require special equipment and skilled labor to install.
In addition to pour in place walls, it is also possible to precast sections of walls. Each section has a surface shaped to resemble stone or other finishes. Precast systems are created by casting the wall sections at a remote location, and moving the precast wall sections to the work site. Precast walls have similar repetitive pattern and seam problems as do pour in place walls. These walls are also extremely heavy and require skilled labor and special equipment.
Also, veneer systems are used to simulate exterior surfaces. Veneer systems consist of paneling which can be attached to a wall surface, similar to exterior siding or interior paneling. The veneer panels maybe formed to have a simulated surface of stone or other such pattern. However, many of these veneer systems, particularly those made of vinyl products, are not realistic in texture or appearance. In addition, the same problems arise in the inability to create a random pattern of unique stones using a minimum number of veneer panels. Veneer systems are particularly susceptible to “paneling out”, wherein it becomes obvious that the pattern is repeating and non-random.
Concrete has a realistic texture and feel, and resembles stone and wood more than other types of building materials. Thus, concrete is a particularly suitable, and the preferred, material for constructing panels for simulating stone, wood or other natural surfaces. Concrete also has many of the ideal characteristics for finishing a building exterior, such as durability and weather resistance. However, forming a veneer system using concrete has been impractical to date. In particular, concrete veneers may be thick, making them heavy, unwieldy and difficult to install. In addition, when made thin enough to be more practical, the concrete may crack or break easily, such as during shipping or during the installation process.
As demonstrated, existing systems, both using and not using concrete for simulating exterior finishes, have several problems associated with them. In a simulated stone wall it is difficult to ensure that the pattern appears random and non-repetitive. The number of form liners, precast, or veneer pieces can be increased to alleviate this problem. This, however, increases cost and labor. Increasing the variety of patterns can be expensive. In pour in place and precast wall systems, the solid concrete walls are heavy and require skilled labor and special equipment to install.
Thus, there is a need in the industry for a light-weight panel system that accurately reproduces the look and feel of stone, wood or other natural finishes. In particular, there is a need for fabricating inexpensive, light-weight and durable panels made of concrete that can realistically reproduce natural finishes.